Colchester

Colchester's population increased by about 17,300 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 170,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Colchester increased by 11.1%, from just under 156,000 to 173,000.

The addition of just over 17,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Colchester was home to, on average, 3.8 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Colchester

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Colchester increased by two years, from 36 to 38 years.

This area had a lower average age than Eastof England and remained slightly younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just over 5,700 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by about 1,000.

About 11.0% of people in Colchester are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Colchester by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Colchester

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Colchester was among those who said they had no religion, rising 13.8 points.

In 2011, 33.9% of respondents in Colchester gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 20.1% of those who answered in 2001.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 18.2% to 30.0%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Colchester, 62.2% said they were Christian, compared with 77.6% in 2001. About 1.7% said they were Muslim, compared with 0.8% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they were Hindu increased from 0.5% to 0.8%.

In Colchester, 7.3% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.8% in 2001. Across Eastof England, 7.2% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population that said they had no religion in Colchester increased by 14 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, East and Colchester by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Colchester

The percentage of Colchester residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.6% to 3.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 16 (6.4%) reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 6.8% in 2001. The percentage of Colchester residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 90.7% to 90.4%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.7% in 2001 to 3.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Colchester at a faster rate than across Eastof England.

In Colchester, the proportion of private renting increased from 10.6% in 2001 to 18.7% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion increased from 8.6% to 14.6%.

Across Eastof England, the share of privately rented homes increased from 8.6% to 14.6%.

The rate of social housing in Colchester fell from 15.2% to 13.5%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 71.9% to 66.3%.

Private renting in Colchester increased by 8.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Colchester, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Colchester

The percentage of single people in Colchester increased from 29.9% to 34.6% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under one in two (47.1%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 51.9% in 2001. The percentage of adults in Colchester that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 11.0% to 12.1%.

The proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 27.4% in 2001 to 31.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 30.5% to 34.9%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Colchester residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 7.2% to 4.3% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (83.7%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 71.3% in 2001. The percentage of Colchester residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21.5% to 12.1%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 7.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Colchester decreased by 2.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Colchester, Eastof England and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Colchester

In 2011, 3.7% of Colchester residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from 1.7% in 2001. The 2.0 percentage point change was the largest increase among ethnic groups in this area.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 2.8% to 5.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 92.1% of people in Colchester said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 96.2% in 2001. About 1.8% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 1.2% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.5% to 1.5%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Colchester increased by 2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Colchester by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

More students

The percentage of Colchester residents that were studying increased from 2.9% to 4.5% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in two (53.7%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 54.9% in 2001. The percentage of Colchester residents that were unemployed increased from 2.3% to 3.5%.

The proportion of students increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.3% in 2001 to 3.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students in Colchester increased by 1.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Colchester, Eastof England and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Colchester working less than 16 hours increased from 2.0% to 3.4% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in eight (11.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 14.5% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 1.9% in 2001 to 2.9% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Colchester increased by 1.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Colchester, Eastof England and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Colchester, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 9.3% to 10.4% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29.1%) households had only one person, compared with 28.3% in 2001. The percentage of households in Colchester which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 39.2% to 35.2%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.8% in 2001 to 10.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Colchester residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.7% to 2.0% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.9%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 1.8% in 2001 to 2.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Colchester remained close to 2.0%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Colchester by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Colchester with only adult children living with their parents increased from 9.0% to 8.9% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage that had at least one dependent child remained close to 29.4%, while the percentage of households in Colchester without children remained close to 62.0%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 9.3% in 2001 to 9.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

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